Field Guide for all the Birds of North America
Thick-billed Vireo
Viréo à bec fort
Vireo crassirostris
Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities
Species: The Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) is a native bird of the Caribbean islands and is a regular visitor to the state of Florida. With no apparent defining features, other than the obviously long bill, the subtle and soft colours of this bird helps it to blend into the foliage of the trees. It feeds mainly on insects, gleaning them from the leaves and branches of the trees, while moving about in a deliberate manner.
Distinctions: The male and female are similar looking in appearance. It has a noticeably large bill with a visible hook at the end of upper bill, same identifying features seen in other vireos. Olive-green crown, back and tail feathers. Yellow supraloral, with a partial eyering, light yellowish-green throat, breast and undertail. Two white wing bars and white edges on the tertials as well as green edges on the primaries flight feathers.
Voice: Nasal sounding, similar sounds to other vireo types, multiple call notes. Sings throughout the day, even after breeding season.
Nesting: Three to five white eggs, speckled with brown or black spots. Suspended from a fork in branches of trees. The nest is composed of strips of wood bark, plant fibres and lined with fine grasses and spiderwebs.
Life, Habitat & Pictures of North American Vireos
| B L | W W | W | Family | Latin Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5" 12.7cm | 7.25" 18.4cm | 0.46 oz 13g | Vireonidae | Vireo crassirostris |
- Summer
- Year Around
- Winter
Distribution: It is native to a number of Caribbean islands and the Bahama islands appear to have the largest population of this vireo species. It is a regular visitor to the Atlantic side of Florida and is considered a vagrant.
References to Other Bird Sites:
Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.
ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.
I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.
